Frontend Engineer, TS/SCI with Counterintelligence Polygraph Required

Location: Alexandria, VA

Accrete is an agentic managed services company: an AI workforce that does high-stakes, judgement-heavy work for government and enterprise clients — at the economics of software, not labor.

At the core is Accrete's Knowledge Engine, a dynamic context graph that captures an organization's tacit knowledge, resolves data across silos, and builds a living, auditable ground truth. Expert agents reason against that ground truth to act on complex, high-stakes decisions — not just answer questions about them.

From national security to commercial operations, Accrete delivers the work on one platform, with unlimited expert agents and expert judgement.

The Role

As a Frontend Engineer you will work at the intersection of data engineering, software development, and AI. You will rapidly turn ideas, mission requirements, and technical concepts into working prototypes that can be tested with users and evaluated for production potential.

This is a highly hands-on role. You will work directly with engineers, data scientists, AI/ML teams, product managers, and government customers to ingest and manipulate data, build lightweight applications and workflows, test new technical approaches, and iterate quickly based on feedback.

The ideal candidate is a strong generalist who enjoys solving ambiguous problems, learning new technologies, and building functional prototypes rather than spending months designing solutions before putting them in front of users.

What You'll Do

Software Prototyping

• Rapidly develop functional software prototypes to demonstrate new concepts and capabilities
• Translate ambiguous mission requirements into working technical solutions
• Build proof-of-concepts that combine data, APIs, AI models, and software components
• Develop lightweight applications, services, scripts, and interfaces to test new ideas
• Iterate rapidly based on user feedback and technical findings
• Evaluate prototype approaches and make recommendations for production implementation
• Work across the technology stack as needed to get prototypes operational
• Identify technical risks, limitations, and dependencies early in the development process
• Maintain clear documentation of prototype architecture, functionality, and technical decisions

Data Engineering

• Build data ingestion and transformation pipelines to support prototypes
• Integrate structured and unstructured data from multiple sources
• Work with APIs, databases, files, feeds, and other data sources
• Clean, normalize, transform, and enrich data for analytical and AI applications
• Develop SQL queries and Python-based data processing workflows
• Monitor data pipelines and troubleshoot data quality and integration issues
• Create reusable data workflows that can transition from prototype to production

AI & Automation

• Integrate AI and machine learning capabilities into software prototypes
• Work with LLMs, embeddings, RAG, information retrieval, and AI agents where appropriate
• Develop prototypes that automate manual or knowledge-intensive workflows
• Experiment with different AI models, APIs, tools, and architectures
• Build workflows that combine data processing with AI-driven analysis or decision support
• Develop evaluation methods to measure prototype performance and usefulness
• Work closely with data scientists and AI engineers to test new approaches

Technical Collaboration

• Partner with software engineers, data scientists, product teams, and mission experts to understand requirements and quickly convert them into a minimum viable product for collecting feedback
• Participate in technical design sessions and architecture discussions
• Translate customer needs into technical requirements and implementation plans
• Communicate prototype capabilities, limitations, and technical tradeoffs
• Support demonstrations and technical discussions with government customers
• Provide recommendations on whether and how successful prototypes should be productionized
• Draft software documentation

Mission Support

• Work directly with government customers and mission users to understand operational challenges
• Rapidly respond to emerging technical requirements and mission needs
• Build prototypes that demonstrate measurable mission value
• Support customer demonstrations, testing, experimentation, and deployment
• Operate effectively in secure and potentially classified environments

What We're Looking For

• Active TS/SCI clearance with Counterintelligence or Lifestyle Polygraph
• 3+ years of experience in data engineering, software engineering, application development, or a related technical field
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong experience with C++, Python, Java, SQL, and any equivalent programming skills
• Experience working with APIs and integrating multiple data sources
• Experience rapidly developing software prototypes or proof-of-concepts
• Strong understanding of software development fundamentals
• Ability to work across unfamiliar technologies and quickly learn new tools
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills
• Ability to work independently and make technical decisions in an ambiguous environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting the Department of Defense or Intelligence Community
• Experience building AI/ML or LLM-powered applications
• Experience with RAG, embeddings, vector databases, NLP, or information retrieval
• Experience with AI agents and tool-calling workflows
• Experience with modern web application development
• Experience with FastAPI, Flask, React, or similar frameworks
• Experience with PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, or similar data platforms
• Experience with AWS, Azure, or other cloud environments
• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes
• Experience with Git, CI/CD, and modern software development workflows
• Experience with Spark, Airflow, Kafka, Databricks, Snowflake, or similar data technologies
• Experience working in classified, secure, or air-gapped environments
• Experience taking prototypes into production
• Experience developing applications for government or national security customers
• Ability to obtain and maintain additional security clearance accesses to Special Access Programs (SAP) or Access Compensatory Control Measures (ACCM)

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means turning ideas into working software quickly .

You will be successful when you can take a loosely defined mission problem, identify the relevant data and technical approach, and produce a functional prototype that allows users and technical teams to evaluate the concept.

The strongest candidates will be comfortable operating with incomplete requirements and will know when to prioritize speed and experimentation over architectural perfection. At the same time, you should be able to recognize which prototypes have real production potential and work with engineering teams to mature them into reliable capabilities.

Why Accrete Government

• Build cutting-edge AI and data capabilities supporting U.S. government and national security missions
• Work on technically challenging problems with real-world mission impact
• Rapidly prototype new AI, data, and software capabilities
• Collaborate with experienced engineers, data scientists, AI researchers, and mission experts
• Work directly with government customers and end users
• Help turn experimental concepts into deployed capabilities
• Operate in a fast-moving environment with significant technical ownership

Salary Range: $145k-$180k

The salary range provided reflects the estimated compensation for this role based on the expected qualifications and experience level. The final offer may vary depending on factors such as skills, experience, and alignment with role requirements.

Core Values & Expectations:

Impact

You take full ownership and accountability for your work, consistently seeing projects through from inception to completion with a strong bias for action. Proactively identifying challenges, you drive solutions rather than waiting for direction, and hold yourself and others to the highest standards for delivering results. With strategic thinking and a problem-solving mindset, you make informed decisions leveraging data and expertise, always looking for ways to improve processes, optimize workflows, and enhance outcomes beyond your immediate responsibilities. 

Collaboration

You work seamlessly across teams, prioritizing shared goals and team success over individual credit. Engaged listening and open, candid communication are at the heart of your approach, ensuring alignment and synergy throughout the organization. You value diverse perspectives, seeking input from others to drive better results. By treating colleagues with respect and professionalism, you help build a culture of trust, supporting each other through challenges, celebrating successes, and constructively addressing conflicts to strengthen relationships and improve outcomes.

Passion for AI & Innovation

You are deeply excited about the transformative potential of AI and committed to contributing to a company shaping the future of work. With curiosity and a growth mindset, you continuously seek to learn, adapt, and stay at the forefront of new developments. Your enthusiasm for innovation drives you to explore new ideas, challenge the status quo, and find creative solutions that deliver meaningful impact. You approach your work with energy and a desire to advance both technology and the way we work.

Company Benefits

• Competitive Salary: Aligned with experience and market standards
• Comprehensive Insurance: Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
• 401(k) Plan: Build your financial future with our retirement savings plan
• Growth & Development: Access professional learning opportunities and career advancement support
• Onsite Perks: Enjoy catered lunches, snacks, and a fully stocked kitchen
• Team Bonding: Company-sponsored happy hours and social events to connect and unwind

Accrete is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.